2. Prioritize structure
3. Make it about your audience
4. Deliver on your promises
Let's get specific ↓
Exactly 1 year ago, I wrote my first post on LinkedIn.
It blew up.
A few months later, I figured Twitter out.
Now I have 51k followers across both platforms + massive credibility + a profitable side hustle.
All I did was follow these 4 writing principles:
2. Prioritize structure
3. Make it about your audience
4. Deliver on your promises
Let's get specific ↓
People want to know:
-Why should I read this?
-How will it help me?
-What will I learn?
To answer those Qs:
-Poke at pain points to light up emotions
-Add credibility to build trust
-Build intrigue to pique interest
-Leave a cliffhanger
Shitty hooks are regurgitated and soulless.
Or, they're clickbait (designed to capture attention but have zero value).
Here's how to write valuable & differentiated hooks instead:
https://t.co/xFus07265S
Clickbait thread hooks suck.
— Erica Schneider (@ericasmyname) September 6, 2022
People use them because they get engagement.
But at what cost?
To win the long game, you need to prioritize value.
Here are 15 valuable hook formats that will get you likes, followers, credibility, AND make you feel good:
The best writing, presented in the wrong order, won't move the needle.
Your narrative arc needs to match your format, e.g.:
-Storytelling
-Listicles
-How to
Here's a snapshot of a "How to" vs. a "Lessons" listicle:
cc @KateBour
There are several formulas and frameworks out there.
Here's the one I use most often:
SCQA ↓
2. Complication (problem)
3. Question (transition)
4. Answer (solution)
E.g.
-Clickbait posts attract followers
-But disinterested audiences rarely buy
-The key to valuable growth that converts?
-Content that resonates & builds authority
Here's my favorite example of this format in a hook:
cc: @amandanat
People want to learn, grow, overcome problems, & reach goals.
You can talk about yourself but in the context of helping others.
Posts that are specific, direct, and outcome-driven perform much better than generalized, self-serving shares.
E.g.↓
"My business is killing it. I've created amazing processes. Here's my story."
Audience-centered:
"I've built my business to $X MRR in 2 years. How? Documented processes from day 1 so I could delegate & focus on sales. Here are 7 lessons to scale efficiently."
-Adds quantifiable proof ($X MRR in 2 years)
-Gets specific with outcomes (delegate to save time + focus on sales)
-Tells the reader exactly what they'll learn (scale efficiently)
This builds trust and intrigue, which leads to clicks.
You want readers to:
-Feel like they're learning
-Experience zero friction
-Stay interested throughout
To do that:
-Share unique insights
-Add the "why" and "how"
-Show, don't just tell
This helps them...
-Extract takeaways they can act on
-Reach “aha!” moments
-Get past objections
-Stay entertained
Consider:
-Why does this matter to my audience?
-How can the reader act on this?
-Can I back this up with data?
-What's the impact of this?
-Know who you are
-Know who your audience is
This is not a one-and-done exercise.
Both you and your audience will continuously evolve.
Pay attention to those changes and shift your strategy accordingly.
Follow me @ericasmyname for more.
And comment and retweet as you please :)
For easy sharing: https://t.co/2hATQoGeU9
Exactly 1 year ago, I wrote my first post on LinkedIn.
— Erica Schneider (@ericasmyname) February 14, 2023
It blew up.
A few months later, I figured Twitter out.
Now I have 51k followers across both platforms + massive credibility + a profitable side hustle.
All I did was follow these 4 writing principles:
